The Soul Thief
by Perdyta
Summary: Juniper is a high elf, once a slave and now renowned as The Last Dragonborn. Gormak, an Orc, is persuaded by Hermaeus Mora to steal this power but when it all backfires, Juniper might have finally found someone she can relate to. OFC!Elf/OMC!Orc Rated M for language and violence and for other mature things to happen in later chapters. Slowburn.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The Dragonborn opened her eyes, wondering for a moment where she was. The sun was shining on her face and she smiled at the warmth. That's right, she had barely made it to her bed in her Lakeview Manor before passing out the night before.

It was late in the day already, but Juniper made no move to get up yet. Her latest adventure had been rather demanding of her, but the way the sun gleamed off the Deathbrand Armor as it hung in her bedroom... well who else was waking up to such a sight?

Juniper smirked and whispered her telekinesis spell to open the rest of the curtains in her room and smiled as a breeze flowed in. The cold air was one of her favorite things about Skyrim, she always hated sleeping through the hot nights of Cyrodil but as a slave you suffered through much.

How humorous her life was, that she had run to Skyrim as a slave and was captured and sentenced to death, but now here she woke in _one_ of her houses across the country. The country that scorned her for being Altmer, but declared her Dragonborn. She had helped the rebellion against her own race, having no love for those who had enslaved her, and she had fought back the dragon threat.

Now? Well, now she spent her time looking for pirate treasure apparently. She eyed the Deathbrand armor and enjoyed the way it glinted in the light. It was on display next to the Ancient Falmer Armor she had fought so desperately for and both tempted her now. Nah, she didn't need an adventure today. Today she should help Rayya with the chores before there wasn't anymore sun.

Juniper washed her face and then put on some clothes she could do work in. When she came out to the main hall of her house, she saw breakfast had been waiting for her for quite some time. She greedily ate the cold porridge and when she was done she went to the kitchen looking for something else to eat. It seemed like ages since she had enjoyed a meal and now she was shoveling enough for three down her gullet.

As she sat back in a chair in front of the fire, she realized that had probably been a mistake. She was just beginning to convince herself she had earned the right to take a nap right after breakfast when she heard the shouting.

Juniper ran through the hall and grabbed her bow off the table. Without bothering with her armor, she hurried outside to see her Redguard housecarl being outnumbered by bandits.

Juniper was livid as she raised her bow. By the gods how she hated bandits. With three shots, three men went down but she had counted five. Juniper looked about her, daring the others to appear. She was about to use her whisper when suddenly arms wrapped around her from behind. As she struggled, she saw Rayya had been caught as well, but it was all to be momentary.

With as much strength as she could muster, she bashed her head backwards into the man's nose and as he fell she realized how grateful she was that he wasn't wearing a helmet. Ass. It was one thing to attack an unarmored Dragonborn, but to be half dressed yourself? "I have no time for amateurs," Juniper snarled as she picked up the woodcutter's axe near her and sunk into his head.

Juniper looked to Rayya and saw the man holding a knife to her throat.

"Just let her go if your qualm is with me!" Juniper yelled. Could she slow down time enough to stop him? Could she shout true enough to not hurt her friend as well? As she doubted herself the man was winning.

"I'll let her go and you'll let me go?" The man asked and Juniper saw that he was shaking and it was causing a fine cut to appear on Rayya's neck.

Juniper nodded, "On my honor."

The man seemed to think about it for only a moment before pushing Rayya to the ground and running away. Rayya stood up, holding a hand to the cut on her throat as Juniper went and picked up her bow and arrows. She watched him run for a little while longer down the length of the arrow.

"On your honor?" Rayya asked sarcastically, sounding rather ungrateful for someone who had just been saved.

Juniper let the arrow loose and smirked as it peirced the man's calf. "Do you think I have any left?"

It was a nice walk down to where the man lay groaning. Rayya had stayed behind and went straight to her wood cutting. Good lass. Juniper had grabbed her daggers but remained unarmored, she didn't want her prey getting away after all.

Crouching down beside the man as he crawled, Juniper looked him up and down. He wore leather armor and appeared to only have a daggar on him. How could anyone dream of attacking her home with such little protection? It had crossed her mind that someone may have sent them but now she wondered if this was just a random attack. Still, it paid to be careful.

"Who sent you?" She asked, standing up so as to look down at her prey.

The man rolled onto his back with a groan, "It was just a raid. Same as any other. We heard there were women in this house and so we came to plunder." He spit at her feet. "Found nothing here worth anythin.'"

She merely raised an eyebrow at him, "My would be rapist dares to mock me while at my feet?" Raising her bow, she shook her head. "Such a waste."

A crow flew overhead as she let loose the arrow and Juniper raised her face to the sky. Should she have let him go? Should she have let Skyrim's wild claim him? What was to stop him from healing and gaining some smarts to come back in the night? What was to stop him from going to the family down the road and taking their daughters?

The wilds of Skyrim had claim these men, and her name was Juniper the last Dragonborn. She sighed against the breeze, any victory felt good big or small and the best thing to follow it was another victory. Maybe she would put her Dragonscale on and do a little adventuring after all today.

After healing Rayya and then eating a bit to restore her energy and then packing some of the food along with some drink, oh and making sure she had some gold on her and her good daggers, her bow, her lucky charm, her sack... the list was long but by now Juniper had done this a few times.

She had consulted her books and her maps and her and Rayya had noted the sort of armor the bandits were wearing, and together they believed their attackers had come from a pass to the north just across the river.

They said goodbye and once again Juniper was apologizing for leaving without doing any work on the manor but Rayya was used to it and waved her off.

The journey was passing without much excitement, until Juniper had crossed the river. It was dark and she heard a rustle deeper in the woods. Crouching down out sight, Juniper took out her bow. Out into her sight, walked an oblivious male all dressed in armor. He carried a large battle axe and made a lot of noise as he walked. And he was huge. Juniper relied on her stealth ad archery more than anything, this guy obviously relied on his muscles.

He stopped suddenly, and looked into the darkness where she crouched with an arrow pointed at his head. When he took a step towards her, Juniper stood up and let herself be seen. It was then, in the light of the moon, that she could see the tusks protruding past his helmet.

"Orsimer," she snarled at him. She saw that he wore dragonplate armor, but it was worn and old looking. This piqued her interest but she made herself remain intimidating. Or at least tried to as the orc raised his ebony battle axe.

"Elf." The Orc grumbled back and Juniper smirked, of course any distinction of her race was irrelevant; elves were all the same filth to an orc.

The two remained at a silent impasse before at last he spoke, "Where are you headed this night?"

Juniper frowned before deciding to risk it, "I'm looking for a group of bandits." Her arrow never faltered as she spoke. "I killed fiver earlier today and now I seek the rest."

The Orc lowered his axe, "These bandits... they have wronged me as well. Let me go with you and then maybe afterwards we could spar?"

Smirking, Juniper lowered her bow at last. "Do you know where they might be?"

"Aye," he nodded and moved over on the path so she could join him as evidently he was not one for stealth like her. "I heard they were staying in the Brittleshin Pass."

Juniper had to smile knowing that her and Rayya had come up with the same answer, and if a third party came to the same conclusion then they must be on the right path.

They walked in silence for a while and just as the cave was coming into view and Juniper was getting the urge to crouch out of sight, the orc spoke up again.

"What is your name, Elf?" It came out in a low growl and she realized he was probably trying to whisper.

"Juniper," She whispered with a cringe, she hated introducing herself to anyone.

"Your parents gave you a pet name?" The Orc asked and Juniper stopped in her tracks to give him a glare.

"Can this conversation wait until we're not sneaking in the dark?" She hissed at him and the orc nodded.

She was walking ahead of him, giving into her urge to be sneaky and crouched down to the ground. No one guarding the front. If she'd said it before she'd say it again, amateurs.

"Forgive me, Juniper. You are a great warrior." The words were grumbled and at first Juniper didn't realized what she had heard. It wasn't until the edges of her world were growing dark that she realized it was the orc who spoke. Oh, she was in terrible trouble.

When she woke up, Juniper realized she wasn't in a cave somewhere. She was naked and tied to a shrine and the floor was made of the lost pages of a million books.

"No," She whispered and began to struggle but as she moved, the ropes that bound her turned to the dark whips of Hermaeus Mora that bit into her flesh until she ceased.

Slumping against the shrine, she looked up and saw the orc approaching her. He still had his dragonplate armor but had removed his helmet to reveal a stoic face and black dreads down the middle of his head.

Juniper opened her mouth to shout but more whips wrapped around her and squeezed her mouth shut until she was sure she would suffocate. Screaming silently, she watch the orc look away and she tried to curse him.

 _Damn him! Damn him for looking from me, this is his trap!_ She screamed her thoughts to the Daedric Prince. _Why Hermaeus Mora? After all that I've done?_

Laughter filled the air, a deep and dark laughter that made the whips squeeze around her terribly.

"All that you've done, slave?" The voice of Hermaeus Mora spoke soft and low. "You took my power and left me. You have never served anyone but yourself, you think you more powerful than ME?"

Juniper hung her head and fought back a sob against the pain, "No master. No."

"But you do. You think yourself worthy of being a god. My servant has watched you in battle and reported to me your... less than modest nature. I seek a new hero, an obedient dragonborn." At these words, the orc came to stand before her.

"You would never be dragonborn," Juniper growled as the whips tugged and twisted into her skin. "I have killed all the dragons. The title is worthless now!"

The orc crouched before her, "It's your dragon souls I want, not the title."

Suddenly the pain was unbearable as the whips forced her mouth to open, she felt like her skin would rip in two. Worse was the pain as every dragon soul she ever earned was ripped from her own and as they were torn away she could see the orc before fill with her power.

Juniper tried to thrash, she tried to scream but the she was held in place and forced to watch her very essence be torn from her. Until, at last, it was over and the whips no longer held her and she could slump to the floor.

Blood was streaming down her arms and she shivered against the sudden chill about her, but the orc stood and looked about him in wonder.

"You coward. You vile little beast!" Juniper shouted at him and before she could think twice about it, she was on her feet and running at him. She'd tear his throat out with her teeth if she had to. He took everything that was _hers_.

The orc easily caught her around the neck with one hand and raised her off the ground. Juniper gasped for air and kicked at him, but he quickly dropped her on his own. He had a stunned look on his face and Juniper gasped when she saw it as well. The souls he had just tried to steal were flowing back to her and she felt the warmth of them return.

"No! What is this?" The voice of Hermaeus Mora shouted.

Juniper looked about her and realized the walls were closing in on them.

"No!" She shouted to the sky and from her a force came that ripped through the air around them. The force whipped around her and she felt herself being lifted from the ground and pulled towards a bright and powerful light. And then she hit the ground with a hard thud and saw a shadow against the blue sky before once again passing out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The dream was sweet. A warm light surrounded her and Juniper felt something she had not felt by anyone but herself in a while; protection.

"What happened?" She asked the dream and realized she was crying. Furiously, she wiped at her tears.

"You cannot hide your tears from me, child." A feminine voice broke through the light and Juniper looked around for the source. Suddenly, the image of a tall and gentle woman appeared.

"Are you an angel?" Juniper asked and the woman shook her head with a smile.

"I am Mara. I pulled you from the clutches of Hermeaus Mora. And the dragonborn." Mara extended a hand to Juniper but she looked away, feeling ashamed at all her failings.

"The dragonborn?" She asked, through gritted teeth. "I was supposed to be the last. Whatever the orc is goes against nature!"

Mara knelt before her and cupped her chin in her hand. The touch spread warmth throughout her body and finally the burning in her flesh ceased. Juniper realized she had been completely healed .

"This isn't a dream, is it?" Juniper asked, feeling a bit stupid.

Mara was still smiling, a small smile that seemed to hold much back. "No, but I can't keep you away for long. I have to send you back on your path to the orsimer."

Juniper struggled away from her, "You cannot! I will not be sent back to him! I have no power to defend myself, he..." tears stung her eyes as she was faced with the truth of everything. "He took it all from me."

Mara shook her head, "What do you think? My power was only to heal you? I stopped the ritual, Dragonborn. Alas, he does share your power and this is the reason you must return to him."

Juniper must have had a confused look on her face because the goddess tried another way to explain this to her.

"I could not restore all the souls back to you, instead they split in half. That orc is the only way you can feel that power again because without his presence of the other half of your souls you will be powerless. Without you by him, he will remain powerless as well." Mara told her, now sounding a bit annoyed that she had to do so much explaining. "My own power grows weary and I must leave you."

The words barely reached her ears before Juniper woke up with a start. She was in a hut somewhere and a Khajiit tended the fire. She looked down and realized she had been clothed in pants and a tunic.

"Altmer is lucky. Not all Khajiit would clothe a naked elf found in their backyard." The Khajiit was putting some of the stew he was making into a bowl and when he brought it to her, Juniper had to stop the gasp threatening to come out. He was so heavily scarred on one side of his face that he had no fur and the eye on that side seemed as though it was fairly useless.

"High elf should eat before she takes off. H'Raldo knows the call of the road to an adventurer."

Juniper accepted the bowl with a small thank you and tried to remind herself to eat in a polite manner. It had been a while since she had eaten in front of a stranger and not able to just slurp noisily.

"You make a wonderful meal, H'Raldo." Juniper said, wiping her mouth. "I wonder, do you still look to adventure?"

The Khajiit smirked at her as he had gone back to stoking his fire.

"This is a silly question to ask a half blind H'Raldo. Twenty years ago if this Khajiit had been asked, the answer would be yes, but then the elf would have fallen in love with H'Raldo and her heart would be broken." Juniper covered her mouth as a loud laugh came out of her. What a sassy old man.

When she had sobered up, she stood out of bed and went to the window. It was hard to tell at the moment where she was, but there were more important questions.

"I cannot thank you enough for your aid, H'Raldo, but I have nothing to give until I find my way home." She said, hoping he could see the honesty in her words. "Would you show me where exactly you found me?"

Though H'Raldo was making suggestions she should stop drinking so heavily, he took her to the clearing behind his hut and showed her with much confidence the exact spot he had found her that morning.

The ground seemed burnt, as though Juniper had been on fire when she had landed. It made no sense, if Mara said she could only have power by the Orc then why wasn't he here? Did she not have the same conversation with him?

"Thank you H'Raldo, but I think I will find my answers elsewhere." H'Raldo nodded in understanding. He took her back inside where he showed her on his map where they were and he offered her a glass dagger. Juniper raised her eyebrows.

"You don't even know me," she said in an awed whisper as she took the weapon.

"No, but H'Raldo can see the battle you must prepare for, he sees it in your eyes. A warrior's heart is the same as H'Raldo's and so this old Khajiit offers what he can." the words warmed her and she suddenly felt unworthy of these gifts. Of this kindness. All she had ever looked out for was herself.

Juniper stayed on the path as she walked, knowing that any direction she chose could take her home, but should she go home? She had countless of places to rest but who was she to protect them? The only way she could was if she had the orc by her side.

Suddenly feeling naked, Juniper looked over her shoulder suspiciously. Why did she leave so late in the day? Old habits, she supposed.

Her thoughts turned to the orc who had ruined her life. And now, if she wanted any sort of life back she would have to find him and be by his side? Juniper wanted him dead, not as a follower. She never asked for this. If she knew of a way to get her powers back, then she would simply gut him if ever give the chance.

Now, though, she was powerless and alone and the dark was settling about her. She felt it as the cold began to eat at her. She felt it as she made her fire with useless hands. She felt it in the emptiness that ate at her thoughts, when they used to be filled with memories of victories. Now she could only dwell on her failure and she let herself cry at last, closing her eyes to the terrors in the dark.

When Juniper opened her eyes, she was met with a terrible sight.

"Elf," the orc growled, the sharp edge of his battle axe resting under her chin. "You practically hand yourself to me. Was it by pure luck you've lived this long?"

Juniper glared up at him and then remembered what Mara had told her. If he was near her, she must have her powers back...

Juniper let out a mighty shout that sent the orc flying backwards and into a tree with a satisfying thud. Juniper scrambled up and took out her dagger, unfortunately his grip stayed true around his weapon.

And then he let out a shout, a shout that seemed to rip right to her skin and forced her to drop her dagger. She let out a yell of frustration.

The orc came at her with his axe and she rolled quickly out of the way of a beheading. Summoning her renewed source of magicka, she tried to ignite him but the flames seemed to slide off his dragonplate armor and she realized it was enchanted.

The orc came at her and Juniper held her hands up, "Wait! Don't you realize you can't kill me?" she shouted desperately but the orc shook his head and raised his axe. "Listen to me, Orc. We can't use our power without one another!"

The orc at least paused at this information before slowly lowering his weapon, of course he had noticed he had no power earlier and had damned Hermaeus Mora and himself for following such a monster.

"My name is Gormak, and you really are called Juniper. I asked about you." He said, and he backed away with the look of a sudden revelation.

Juniper seized this distraction and ran to her dagger. Now, wanting to talk, Gormak threw down his axe and tackled her away from her weapon.

"You and I have to come to an understanding. For the time being." Gormak said as he pinned her to the ground beneath him.

Juniper struggled against his grasp on her, "I'd rather have my dagger by my side." Being held down by this orc was infuriating.

"I thought you and I were going to spar after the cave?" Gormak said with a smirk and that made Juniper pause and give him a suspicious look.

"You'll take off your armor to match me?" She asked.

"You'll not use your demon magic?" Gormak countered. Juniper glared at him but nodded and so he nodded back and let her go. As he stood up, though, he kicked her dagger out into the woods.

And as he removed his armor, he kept his eyes locked on hers as if daring her to make a move and something about those eyes kept her still on the ground. At last when he stood over her bare chested, he offered her a hand and said, "You gonna lay around all day little doggy?" _You ass._

Juniper was the first to land a punch, right on his jaw and she saw how badly it startled him. He regained his footing and swung at her, but Juniper dodged the blow. Sizing him up, she went to kick him but he caught her ankle in his large hand and flipped her so that she landed on her belly on the ground. The air was knocked from her as he stood over her and mocked how weak she was.

Letting out a snarl, Juniper stood up and ran at him with all her might and tackled him to the ground. She was about to bring a large rock down on his head when he caught her wrist. Damn him, he was so large but he was quick. Much quicker than any foe she had ever fought. _Quicker than me._

And as if to prove how quick he was, he had a hand on her throat and was pinning her to the ground again.

"You cowardly little cheat." He growled. "No orc would ever take such a low opportunity." Juniper was clawing at his hands. "How am I supposed to have such a dishonorable follower?"

 _Follower?_ Juniper thought with such bitter anger. _He would be MY follower not the other way around! The arrogant bastard._

Finally, Gormak released her roughly. Then, he tied her hands with a rope so tight it dug into her skin.

"If you think this rope will protect you, you're soon to find out how weak you really are." Juniper said, her sore throat making her voice come out in a rasp.

Gormak shook his head, "Don't be stupid. We need each other around don't we?" He snapped at her and Juniper suddenly had nothing more to say on the subject. "Good, so just keep to yourself and come with me."

Juniper shook her head, "I need armor. I have to go home."

Gormak gave her a suspicious look, "Why? So you can lead me into an ambush? I'll get you armor, but we go to my home."

And with that he was leading the way and for the time being she was forced to follow, especially when he swiped the glass dagger for himself. The bastard. She would find a way to be rid of him soon enough, but for the time being she would have to play nice. However hard it may be.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Not gonna lie, I could use a beta if anyone is interested. Some of the buttons on my keyboard don't work so well so I often find trivial mistakes and sometimes my brain goes faster than my hands when I type and I find rather large mistakes... I like to think it's because my brain works too fast but whatever the case I am looking hard to fix things but sometimes I miss stuff. So, please accept this apology and enjoy this next chapter.

 **Chapter Three**

The orc - she knew the beast had a name, but she had no respect for him - led Juniper through the wood until it was well into morning, and then they kept walking.

Juniper wanted to ask him where his home was since they had been walking forever. Normally, Juniper loved traveling off the beaten path like this but that was when she knew where they were going and she had company of her choosing. That was when her hands weren't bound and she had the proper armor of a Dragonborn.

She wanted to ask the orc what he had done to earn Hermaeus Mora's trust and where his master was now in his time of need... and what had she ever done to deserve this? Lack modesty? What did she have to be modest for anymore? She had proven her worth time and time again, it was about time the rest of the world proved its worth to her.

Of course, Juniper wanted to ask the orc about these things but she hated him and had refused all of his efforts to start a conversation throughout their trip so now she was forced by her stubborn pride not to start talking to him.

...But where in Oblivion were they?!

Just when she thought she might give in to the urge to ask questions, she heard a twig snap in the distance. Crouching down, she hoped to be out of sight and see the creature first, but the orc simply tugged on her rope and began to make a fuss. Like she was an ill-behaving pet. Bastard.

Juniper shook her head at him and was about to hiss at him to shut up when a sabre cat jumped over a fallen tree near them and tore Gormak to the ground, causing him to let go of his axe and the rope holding Juniper back. And to yelp.

As Juniper failed to untie the ropes, she had to listen as Gormak struggled against the beast and she grew weary of the noise. Struggling with the weight for only a moment, Juniper lifted the orc's axe and stood over the beast. She may not have been as quick with it as Gormak, but she heaved with all her might and swung the axe down to sink into the sabre cat's neck. The sharp blade struck true and the beast slumped until Gormak was able to push it off of him.

Then Juniper saw exactly why he had been so defenseless. The sabre cat had torn a large chunk of flesh from his neck and his eyes looked wild as he was bleeding out. _So heal yourself._ Juniper thought bitterly. _Any Dragonborn should know that spell._

But he just laid there and groaned. Narrowing her eyes, Juniper raised her hands and concentrated on healing him. It crossed her mind that he was much stronger than her and was able to swing battle axes as fast as she could dart out her daggers... but where else were his talents? A Dragonborn should be well versed in the world. A leader and protector. Who was this orc?

Sighing as she ended the spell, she suddenly felt how hungry she was and found herself missing H'Raldo's stew.

"Are you healed?" She asked.

"Yes, I am. Thank-"

"You should untie me then and I can catch us some lunch," Juniper said quickly, not wanting to hear any false kindness in his voice. She hated the part he played in what was done to her and she hated how he could lay on the ground and look up at her like that.

Now, though, he was frowning as he stood. Good, let him be angry with her. Gods knew how pissed she was.

"You may have begrudgingly allowed me to live, but why would it benefit me to untie you?" The orc asked, coming to stand in front of her. Juniper was fairly tall but still she had to look up at him. With him so close, she could see his eyes were a greyish green and they did not seem to look down at her cruelly. However, his words caused an anger to rise in her chest but she did not look away. Instead, she raised her chin to him and took a half step closer so that her chest brushed against his armor. He would not intimidate her.

"I think you'll find that I can save you a little better with my hands free. I plan on staying by your side, of course, and on keeping you alive. I want my powers just as much as you want them." She raised an eyebrow at him and held her hands up expectantly.

With a sigh, Gormak began to untie her. "We can find something together."

Juniper raised an eyebrow at him, "You are aware of the manner in which you crash through the wilderness alerting everyone of your presence?"

"I was able to sneak up on you last night," he said and shrugged, walking into the trees.

"That was... different... altogether." Juniper finished in a lame mumble as she began to follow him. _I'm just a terribly heavy sleeper, that's why I usually bring people with me on my adventures. I was being foolish last night and you were lucky, orc._

She kept her thoughts to herself and instead eyed the glass dagger in Gormak's belt. If he thought keeping it near him was disarming her, he was sadly mistaken. He seemed to be quite oblivious to the school of magic and she had only seen him use the Voice once. If he was going to hold back with her powers why had he wanted them in the first place? Either way, maybe she should keep up the facade of needing a weapon.

"This would be faster with a bow, but what do you expect me to catch with my bare hands?" Juniper asked.

Gormak looked to the sky and then motioned for her to turn. A moment later and they were at the edge of the treeline and facing a clearing, where a small house and river lay looking like a dream.

"Can you pick up eggs?" He asked and as he walked towards the house, she realized this was his home he had been assuring her they were near. They were practically neighbors, well some of the time. "They can be wily, but when you've picked enough for lunch you can find me in the kitchen." He said as he unlocked the door and went inside.

And just like that he was showing her that there was much he could still do to make her hate him even more. Or at least find him irritating. What an ass. She had her own damn chores to do.

"I didn't fight back a dragon threat so I can get eggs for a damn orc," she grumbled to herself as she went to the chicken coop. The hens all bustled about her angrily as she took the eggs and she wondered who took care of this place while the orc was gone. If the overgrown garden was anything to go by, probably no one.

She carried the eggs in her shirt, using the extra material as a basket as she eyed the garden. The gourds at least looked like they were picked recently, but the flowers and herbs were taking over most of the space. Still, she recognized the use of some of these and so she began to pick some herbs that may taste good with the eggs. When she headed inside, she had only a few steps to take to dump her findings onto the table.

The small house had a sitting area and a kitchen and Gormak was tending to a pot over the fire. There was a ladder that went to a loft overhead that she figured must be where he slept.

He came to the table and eyed the other things she brought in with a low "Hmm. The garden came with the house, never had time to look at this stuff."

As Juniper eyed the empty walls, the orc prepared breakfast. He was talking to her and it was irritating her to no end. Was he impaired? Did he think they would be fast friends? Probably because she saved his life and now he thinks he owes her a blood debt. Juniper stifled a snort.

"I'm mostly just surprised when I return to find the house still standing," Gormak was saying. Juniper nodded, home owning was definitely a risk. At least when you lived in the city there may be some sort of useful guard around. Just look at the last bandit attack she had on her home, with even a housecarl there in plain sight.

 _Ah, but then that had been a trap, hadn't it?_ Juniper thought to herself, her eyes darting to the orc as he was bent over his fire. Her hands clenched as she remembered the bandit holding a knife to Rayya's throat.

Suddenly, Gormak straightened and turned to her and she quickly masked her face and unclenched her fists. It would not help matters to start another fight. Not when he was serving her food at least.

They sat and ate in a terribly awkward silence. At long last, Juniper set her fork down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

The orc was watching her from across the table. Was she expected to clean up? She supposed manners said she should but to Oblivon with all this. She had questions.

"There were other ways to go about eating breakfast with me," she told him and the orc just stared at her, apparently finding her humor offensive. "Did I strike a nerve? Is it rude to bring up your attempted murder and kidnapping?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow.

The orc was quiet for a moment longer and she wondered what he could possibly be thinking about. He did not strike her for the clever type so maybe it just took him that long to formulate simple words.

"I never intended - "

Juniper slammed a fist on the table, "I don't want to hear about your intentions," she hissed across the table at him. "The fact remains that _you_ did this."

Gormak shook his head, "I did what I had to do, just as you had not so long ago. And you knew the day would come that Hermaeus Mora would choose a new champion." As he spoke, Juniper sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. She supposed she should listen and not interrupt his ramblings. "The day will come when another rises against me. However, I am not a fool and so it should be a considerably longer time than you had."

Juniper shook her head, "Miraak and I are very different. I was simply exploring the country side, all but retired from political aide and mercenary work. He was forcing people to be slaves. You cannot convince me I deserved this."

Gormak stood, looking quite irritated with her. In fact one might say he looked livid as he glared at her and rested his hand on his axe. "You are full of nothing but pride," he said and the words sounded like they disgusted him to speak. "You take leadership over everyone and everything while staying in the shadows. You take gold and lives and in your own name."

Juniper stood as well, hating the way he seemed to loom over her and fill the room so that all she saw was the anger and disgust in his eyes. "Who are you to judge me? I was chosen to be the last. You weaseled your way into this and changed the fate of gods for you and you accuse _me_ of being prideful and disobedient?"

"I was chosen to play this role just as you were for yours," Gormak growled at her. "I'm stronger. You follow me because Hermaeus Mora wills it and so I will share this power, but never forget your place around me Elf."

The orc turned from her and she shook her head, "Those are strong words coming from the bleeding _pig_ I rescued earlier. The damsel in distress, Gormak, as he gaped for air -"

As her words began to grow into a shout, Gormak cut her off with a mighty release of his "Fus" and it sent her crashing into the wall behind her. Juniper jumped to her feet.

"You know nothing of my power," she all but growled as she called on the power and knowledge of the mighty voice and all the blessings given her as she released her own "Fus - RO- DAH!" And suddenly Gormak was crashing through the wall and spiraling into the field that lay by his house.

Juniper lazily walked to the new entrance she had made. "You seem to be missing some of your house," she called to the orc who lay groaning. She jumped out of the hole and onto the ground, swooping to pick up the dagger that had fallen from his belt at last.

She stood over the orc and smirked, "You certainly know how to underwhelm a lady."

Gormak kicked his leg out and suddenly Juniper had fallen on her ass as well. She needed to learn not to gloat within reach of this orc, he was far too quick. He had a hand on her leg and was dragging her towards him and so she kicked him in the face and hurried to scramble away.

A moment later and they were both standing and staring at each other, breathing heavily. "Do you hold back or is my _protege_ so ignorant?" She summoned ice between her hands and saw the panic in the orc's eyes. She was done pretending he had the upper hand. She was done holding back. This poorly trained oaf would be listening to her from now on if they were to go on with their lives.

She shot her ice spell at him but the orc dodged out of the way. That's right, he was quick. As she shot and shot at him she felt the first twinge of panic as he remained unscathed and she stopped overcharging her spells. At last, though, she shot him in the shoulder and he appeared to slow at last. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she pulled out her dagger and stalked towards him.

"I've watched your skill, or lack thereof and I'm through letting you believe you are in charge," she told the orc, trying not to smile as his eyes widened the tiniest bit. He tried to mask his fear, but she was all too familiar with the sight of it. The victory of putting fear into the oaf was a heady filling and it was hard not to smirk triumphantly. "Did you even seek guidance from the Greybeards before trapping me? Or were you so power hungry you never gave it a second thought to do whatever Hermaeus Mora said?"

His axe was far from him and the fool had no other weapons on him. "What am I supposed to do with you? Let you stumble behind me?" Juniper shook her head. "I tire of this fight. Come with me and I can make you a worthy companion."

She saw the hatred in the orcs eyes and the mistrust. At last, she could see some wisdom in him if he did not trust her. Juniper would strike him down as soon as the opportunity presented itself, but that could be years before she found a way. And he would have to be with her if she wanted to carry on with some sort of normal life. Normal for her anyway.

Without bothering to take his weapon or to tie his wrists together as he did to her - as she had seemed to at last prove her strength to him - Juniper set off to the north and knew he would follow her. She could see how hungry he was for this power and it was in that aspect that she could finally see a shared trait between them. In the first day of each other's company she had saved him and the blew a hole in the side of his house. Perhaps Mara had been slightly crazy to let the two of them coexist.

"Is that your form of a truce?" The orc asked as he walked at her side and Juniper shrugged.

"I suppose so," she found it odd how civil he became after their fights but she figured he was used to dealing with conflicts like this. He was an orc, they relied on strength and loyalty. She relied on her stealth and daggers.

"Then where are you taking me? To your friends in the dark brotherhood?" he asked. Juniper shook her head, she wanted no one to discover the predicament she was in. This was a weakness, if someone could simply remove her from the orcs presence and render her powerless... she would lose any credibility she ever had. How could she expect anyone's loyalty?

"No. I have a home not too far from here, one without a housecarl. I'm not so eager to share our... odd relationship with anyone yet." Juniper said honestly. No sense in him looking into their privacy as anything but what it was - safety.

"You have other houses than just the manor to the south?" The orc asked and Juniper remembered he had claimed to watch her and he had sent the bandits, of course he would know the location of at least one of her houses.

"My travels take me across the country and farther everyday, it helps to have many resting places." Juniper explained, trying not to sound smug.

"So stay at an inn, unless it's too beneath you." The orc said and Juniper was shocked at the disgust that had crept into his voice once again. Apparently it was hard for him to reach this truce as well.

"What difference is it to you what I do with my money?" Juniper asked, trying not to grow angry herself. _This needs to work. This needs to work._

"There are people homeless all across this land, and yet the hero of Skyrim sits on mountains of gold and buys herself empty houses across the land, and destroys the home of others during her fits..." Gormak shook his head. "And you wonder why another was chosen."

Juniper said nothing as they continued to walk and instead quickened her pace so that he would walk behind her and not see her face. It had never occured to her that her pride could be a terrible thing. After growing up a slave, she thought the world full of pride and deceit and so she let it shape her this way. _He has no idea what I've done in my life. How many people I have helped, have saved._ She thought to herself bitterly.

Still, the words of the orc had stung her. No one had ever caused Juniper to question herself this way. Telling herself it was all trickery of the gods, she walked in silence and spared the orc no more glances. She would appear weak to no one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The sight of her home was a welcome one, even though she knew it was mostly bare. It at least had the basic stockpile she kept at all her houses; several sets of armor and weapons she had crafted or found in her adventures. There should also be some dried goods at her disposal and a hefty stock of wine in the cellar. She supposed enjoying a drink or five after a day of hard work was another sour trait of hers but she didn't care. After recent events, she looked forward to that wine more than ever.

However, she did not want to drink with her new house guest. Juniper waved him off in the direction of a spare bed and at last he was not at her side as she climbed down the ladder into her cellar. She looked to the bottles of wine she had shelved and huffed when she realized her stock was rather low. It would do, she planned on drinking in bed with her door locked and away from the damn orc now occupying her upstairs.

Without bothering for a glass, Juniper carefully made her way upstairs with a few bottles of wine and looked around. It seemed as though the orc had made himself at home and closed himself into his room. She wasn't too worried about a mutiny, considering their shaky truce... but even so, she set up a few protective wards around her door and window.

Of course, all she wanted to do was lay in her lonely looking bed, even if the sheets needed a good airing, but she was filthy. Juniper could sleep through anything when on the road, but at home she hated the feeling of dirt in her soft bed sheets. She grimaced to think of what the orc was doing to her guest bed.

Setting the bottles down on her night stand, Juniper gave them a promising look before grabbing a cloak heading out towards the spring. It was cool out that night, snow covered large areas of the ground, but Juniper had grown excellent at heating up her bath water. She had only nearly boiled herself alive a mere handful of times. Flames were... kind of tricky to get used to.

Juniper stopped suddenly at the sight of her usual bathing spot, as it seemed the orc had found it first. _Gormak._

His back was to her as he was slowly wading deeper into the water, but not quick enough that she did not get an eye full of his backside. The water came to his waist and he stopped for a moment, she supposed the water had to be bitter cold. However, Gormak took a breath and dived underneath and out of sight, appearing a moment later for air and running his fingers through his short, black hair.

Still, he faced away from her and she told herself to leave. Before he saw her. How terribly awkward. _Crouch out of sight at the very least, imbecile!_

Yet the moons were bright and the water seemed to shine about him. Her eyes wandered over the muscles in his back and arms. There was no denying his strength, even if she had second guesses to... any other ability of his.

Gormak suddenly turned and reached for a small object on the beach, a razor. As he grabbed it, his eyes darted up to her and he let out a shout. It sounded like another language. And she was suspecting it may have been foul.

"I suppose I should grow used to finding you in the shadows," he said.

"I wasn't hiding." She said quickly and looked about her, it seemed to her as though she was standing out in the open. However, there _were_ trees nearby and she was standing in their shadows. Apparently it was just a habit to stick to them.

Gormak shrugged and began to shave his head back into the straight line it had been a few days ago, his hands making long and practiced strokes without any aid of a reflection. Juniper tried to tell herself to run back to her room, but her stubborn pride refused to let her leave and forfeit her dreams of cleanliness.

"Are you not cold?" She asked as she shrugged her cloak off. Her own breath suddenly hitched at the cold air and she realized how stupid her question was.

"I am used to it, are you not?" Gormak asked and suddenly narrowed his eyes, "No, you rely on your magic."

"For this, I do." Juniper said as she undressed down to her flimsy undergarments. "And your presence will not be costing me my comfort."

 _Though it will refrain me from undressing completely. Never fear,_ she thought bitterly as she dipped her hand into the icy water. However, Gormak stood out of the water that she was warming and she glanced up at him for only a second before darting her eyes back down to the water. He stood, unshivering and unwavering and she felt how he stared at her.

 _Under that stare, it is me who shivers._ Juniper thought. At last, he grabbed his clothes and walked towards her house, never saying a harsh word but she could feel his offense. Simply for warming the water, he would leave in a huff.

As she slipped into the water, she wondered at Gormak's aversion to magic. Was this what caused him to hold back? How could he ever expect to fully embrace the power of his Thu'um when he couldn't even stand to be around magic?

None of it really mattered enough to get into that night and so she said nothing as he left and instead dipped her toes in the now very warm water. Sure, she would feel the cold more after she got out, but then she would just have to build a fire inside. And drink her wine. And she would do this all without caring of the offense of an orc.

* * *

Juniper woke the next morning to the sound of someone chopping wood. Attempting to rub the grogginess from her eyes, Juniper sat up in her bed and accidentally knocked her empty bottle from the night before to the floor. As the sheets fell from her, she remembered she had stripped off her wet undergarments and gone to bed in the nude.

Wrapping her thick blanket around her, Juniper left her bed and went to her window. The sun was barely over the horizon and Gormak was chopping wood. Was he simply an early riser or was he unable to find sleep in her home?

He was shirtless again, the cold never seemed to bother him. It was true that she enjoyed sleeping in the cold air of Skyrim, but this orc seemed impervious to any chill in the air. Where did he come from?

She watched him swing the woodcutter's axe over his head and solidly land it into the log, splitting it in two. Sighing, Juniper wondered what the hell she was going to do with him. Let him stay here and do chores? He would soon hunger for power.

 _The will to power is in our blood. You feel it in yourself, do you not?_

Juniper shivered at the memory of Paarthurnax and his wise words. It was her own hunger for power that had cost her her friends and honor. More than ever, she wished the dragon lay atop the throat of the world, waiting for her to meditate with him and to give her wise words on her new problem.

For the Blades she had vanquished the dragons of Skyrim and she could feel each individual soul in her. The soul of Paarthurnax was among the ones she possessed and it questioned destiny and rules like no other. Why should she be proclaimed the leader of various people but have no real power? Why did she have to always answer to those who would use her power for their own designs?

If only she had seen this before slaying her friend.

If it was her destiny to let Gormak have this power, could she teach him to recognize his true enemies? What could she teach him? How to manipulate and murder your way into power?

 _What is better - to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?_

Juniper closed her eyes. If she was going to dwell on the dragon, she would try to recall words to make her wise not sad. She looked down at Gormak, watching the muscles in his back move as he worked. His skin was shining with sweat and she reveled at his strength. Did he have the strength of heart that she so lacked? Was this his destiny, to right the wrongs she was too weak to stop herself from committing?

Or was he just another plaything of the gods?

He turned then, and looked up at the window she stood at until they met each others gaze. Did he feel her stare as she felt his last night? She could definitely feel his stare on her now. It was unnerving how much strength and willpower she could see in him, even from here. How could this orc, the very one who had deceived her and tried to steal all of her power, seem so full of righteous power to her?

She called on one last memory of the wise words Paarthunax had imparted on her before the end. _It is always wise to mistrust a dovah._

Gormak was still watching her when she decided to walk away and dress herself. She took out a set of leather armor, wanting a little comfort while they trained but remembering what had happened the last time she had decided against wearing her armor for the day. By now, Juniper should realize she could never take a day off from being a warrior, from being Dragonborn. The Dovah Sos coursed through her veins and it burned for action. If the same was true for Gormak, he should be willing to listen to her.

When she approached him, he had a large pile of firewood at his feet. He had been doing this for a while it seemed.

"Did you sleep?" She asked as he continued his work.

"Yes." Was all he said to that. Was he still irritated with her from last night? Well, he would have to get over her use of magic sooner or later. She wondered how to approach this and as he continued to ignore her presence, she decided to just come out with it.

"Who taught you to use your Thu'um?" Juniper asked. At last, he stopped swinging the axe and met her gaze, making it difficult for her eyes to wander over his chest again.

"My what?"

Juniper cringed at the words and rubbed a hand over her forehead.

"Did Hermaues Mora prepare you at all before pitting you against me? You have my power inside of you with no knowledge to use it, it will consume you if you -" Juniper realized her voice was raising and stopped herself. If he was a pawn then it wasn't his fault. However, if he volunteered for this and didn't even pick up a damn book or pay a visit to the throat of the world before coming for her... well then she would think a bit less of him.

"Nevermind," she said in a calmer voice. "Leave your wood and walk with me. We have much to discuss."

Gormak was by her side as she walked into the snow covered field that lay near her house.

"Discuss? When you spoke of training me I thought you wanted to teach me your demon magic, not have a discussion." Gormak said impatiently. His words made her frown.

"I was also impatient in the beginning, but I believe you are here to learn from my mistakes." Her mind wandered to absent friends once more. "This seems like a fine distance." Juniper said and stopped.

"Is this going to be a heated discussion?" Gormak asked with a smirk and Juniper's hands itched to slap him around a bit without really knowing why. She wanted to say it was his cockiness, but that would be a bit hypocritical of her. She wanted to say it was because he was so dense and ignorant of _everything_... but she had been the same way not too long ago. Whatever it was, he irritated her. He was a silent orc but only ever broke that silence with snide remarks. Of course, it wasn't as though they were good friends. She _had_ sort of kidnapped him here.

Juniper closed her eyes and breathed away trivial thoughts. It was time to focus.

"You used Fos on me yesterday." She began.

"Yours was stronger." He said. "You would teach me to use this strength?"

Juniper nodded, "All of it. You also disarmed me with a shout. Do you remember that one?" He frowned and she pressed on, "It was much stronger than your Fos."

Gormak nodded, "Yes, I could feel the strength of it, but I didn't..." he seemed at a loss for words. "I wanted you to drop your weapon and then you did. As for this... 'Fos' well I have heard it shouted now and then so I just shouted it."

Her eyes widened for a moment. Of course, King Ulfric was very fond of using his unrelenting force so who hadn't heard that shout now and again? But to simply want to disarm her and then use the correct shout in all its power... it was either scary or wonderful how easy it would be to unlock his power.

"What?" He asked, having seen the look on her face.

"The knowledge is already in you," Juniper whispered. Of course, hadn't she known this? Is that not what had happened when he absorbed her power? She just hadn't realized... what else did he know and not realize yet? Turning from him, she walked an acceptable distance away from him before turning to face him once again.

"Imagine that you want to force me down but I am pushing back. Breathe and focus on that and let me hear your Thu'um." She shouted to him and then braced herself for whatever he may unleash on her.

"Are you going to tell me what to say?" He asked, "I don't remember-"

With an irritated sigh, she straightened back up and stopped him right there, "If I were a beast trying to tear your throat out, would you whimper about what you can't remember or would you push me back?"

She had only a moment to register how his eyes had narrowed in anger before he showed her his unrelenting force. His voice pushed the world around her until it forced the air from her lungs and sent her flying back into the ground. Gasping for a breath, Juniper looked up into the sky and wondered what in Oblivion she was doing.

Suddenly, Gormak was in her sky and looking quite pleased with himself as he offered her a hand up.

Juniper accepted the help and had planned on saying something cutting to him - he had just knocked her to the ground after all and her ego certainly hated that - but he lifted her off the ground with such ease and suddenly they were standing very close to each other. Looking up at him, she saw the excitement in his green eyes and it stopped any harsh words from coming out. This was a big moment for him.

"Good." She breathed out at last. Clearing her throat, she stepped away and distracted herself with brushing snow from her armor. "That was good. Perhaps I shouldn't offer myself for targeting practice anymore."

"So you'll keep teaching me?" Gormak asked and the eagerness in his voice made it hard to speak and so she just nodded. Guilt was a familiar emotion, but she told herself it had no place here... and yet it stayed and felt rotten. Given the chance she would kill this orc, did he not realize? _He would do the same to me, given the chance. His eagerness is for the power, it has nothing to do with his teacher._

"Yes, let's release that force in a different direction this time. Then maybe we can start playing with fire." Juniper said, masking her emotions and bidding him to follow her into the trees. _Playing with fire, is there any other way we play?_

* * *

They had talked about stopping for lunch, but before they knew it the sun was setting. Juniper remembered how dismal her food stock was only when they began walking towards the manor. She would need to hunt tomorrow if they wanted to eat anything more than old or dried food. Tomorrow.

Tonight she would suffer through the meager food, for she was exhausted. Gormak had wanted to see how powerful some of her shouts were and their training session ended up being a bit of a pissing contest. Which he started. Well... she _may_ have been the one to introduce points into the mix.

Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she wanted to ask him about the path that had brought him here.

 _What does it matter? Before the end, one of you will die._

The thought made her shake her head and she pushed it away, instead thinking again of her wine and meager food supplies. It was better this way, thinking of small problems for now. There was no dragon threat and for now it seemed as though Hermaeus Mora couldn't find them. So her biggest problem now was her empty stomach, not the past or dragon philosophy or daedric altered destiny.

Gormak seemed exhausted as well, but excited. He said nothing as they went inside and ate but she could tell in the way he willingly stayed in her presence that he was growing comfortable with her. She went to the cellar and got another bottle of wine, only two left and when those were gone her problems might be a little bigger. When she returned, she went to offer Gormak a glass of wine but found him passed out in a chair in front of the fire.

Juniper smirked and decided maybe she would just take her bottle of wine with her bath then.

When she stepped outside, though, she was forced to stop at the sound of someone panting. Narrowing her eyes against the dark, she realized someone was running down the road to her house. One hand gripped the wine protectively as the other gripped a dagger. She was weary of visitors.

"I've got a letter for you!" A hurried sounding voice came from the stranger and she recognized him as a courier at last.

"Little late in the day," Juniper said in a warning voice.

"Apologies. I was to bring this to you as soon as I could." He hastily shoved a piece of paper at her and as she gingerly took it he said, "Looks like that's it. Got to go."

Juniper nodded halfheartedly as she placed her bottle of wine down and opened the letter.

 _We know who searches for you and the Orsimer. Surrender yourselves to our forgiveness and the Way and the search will never end._

 _Arngeir_

Damn, those Greybeards could sure hold a grudge.


End file.
